


I Don't Want You To Hurt

by vix_spes



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Episode Tag, Established Relationship, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Masturbation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-30
Updated: 2012-10-30
Packaged: 2017-12-30 16:53:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,283
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1021103
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vix_spes/pseuds/vix_spes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In the aftermath of Gwaine’s imprisonment by Morgana, Leon takes care of his lover.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Don't Want You To Hurt

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ronsoftie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ronsoftie/gifts).



> Written for ronsoftie as part of the Happy October Swap 2012 who requested a Gwaine/Leon tag to 4.12/4.13. Title comes from the song ‘Call Me’ by Shinedown.

When Morgana and Helios had entered Camelot, Leon had been in the lower town and had been among the first knights of Camelot to face the invading army. At the time, he hadn’t known where his lover, where Gwaine was. All he had known was that Gwaine was somewhere in the citadel and that he would hopefully be a bit safer there. Even as he thought it, he knew that his hope was futile. They were knights, they all knew the dangers that they faced every single day but it was never easy when both partners were knights and each and every day could be their last. As Leon led the people of Camelot, or at least those that he could, to the relative safety of the Forest of Ascetir he looked back at Camelot and the place that had been his home for more years than he could count, lit with flames against the background of the night sky. All he could do was hope that Gwaine had made it out to safety or that he had survived at all.

He couldn’t help the feeling of dread that swept through him when the knights regrouped in the Forest of Ascetir and Gwaine wasn’t among them, although there were others there that had made it out of the citadel. It had been those knights that had informed him that Gwaine had been sent by Arthur to secure the armoury and that very few, if any, of them had seen him beyond that. It was only when Percival arrived that Leon discovered that his lover had once again gone into battle with more bravado than brains; that he had stayed behind in order to ensure that Percival and Merlin were able to ensure that Arthur escaped the citadel. Leon couldn’t fault him for that because he knew that deep-down he would have done exactly the same thing. Once they had met Arthur in the clearing and determined that they were going to attempt to take back Camelot despite their reduced numbers, he forced himself to focus on what was expected him as Arthur’s second-in-command and making Gwaine his second priority. After discussion, they knew that if Gwaine, Elyan and Gaius were actually still alive then they would be in the dungeons so, once they had cleared their entrance into the castle, both he and Percival would make for the dungeons. Before they could do that however, they had to take back Camelot from Morgana and Helios’ troops. Three to one weren’t necessarily good odds but they were knights of Camelot; they had faced worse and had come out victorious.

(~*~)                                                                                                       

As they entered the dungeons and found the cell that contained Gaius, Elyan and Gwaine, it took every ounce of self-restraint for Leon to keep his composure and focus on what needed to be done for Arthur and for Camelot when all he really wanted to do was check that his lover was okay himself. All he could really do was do a brief once-over and focus on getting the three of them out of the dungeons. Gaius was in no fit shape for anything and the day that Gwaine admitted that he was injured of his own accord was the day that pigs flew. He wasn’t sure if he could trust himself to touch Gwaine innocently, but once they had the doors to the cell open he made straight for Gwaine while Percival headed for Elyan and Gaius. He slung Gwaine’s arm over his shoulders in order to give the man support, Gwaine’s injuries making themselves apparent from the small smile that was more a pained grimace than anything. As they exited the dungeons, Leon promised himself that as soon as he had the opportunity he would fuss over Gwaine as much as the other man would tolerate in order to reassure himself. For now, he forced himself to compartmentalise his thoughts so that he could do his job as Arthur’s second-in-command to the best of his ability.

                                                                                                 ~*~

It seemed to take far too long before Leon was at liberty to be temporarily released from his duties and thus able to go and check on Gwaine in the temporary healing quarters that had been set up. With Gaius too ill himself to take care of the injured, it had been left to Merlin and Gwen to take charge aided by any residents of Camelot that had any knowledge or experience of healing. Leon was reassured by the knowledge that, with Merlin in charge, Gwaine might actually listen to his friend in regards to his health but seeing as it was Gwaine nothing was definite. As he entered the room that had been requisitioned for healing, Leon automatically scanned the room stopping still as he saw that Gwaine was actually asleep in one corner. That was something that he definitely hadn’t expected to see – he had been expecting something more along the lines of Gwaine already protesting his confinement and trying to escape.

“I gave him a sleeping draught.”

Leon spun around to see Merlin stood behind him, looking towards Gwaine. “And he actually took it?”

“Well, I didn’t tell him that it was a sleeping draught. He thought that it was a painkiller. I needed to see what was wrong with him and that wouldn’t have happened if he’d been awake. It’s not as bad as it looks; mainly some very bad bruising and a few nasty cuts plus a few broken ribs. Nothing strenuous and I’m sure that you know how to bind broken ribs. I’ve got some salts that you can put in a hot bath that will help with the aches and pains. There’s some cream that can be rubbed into the bruises as well – I’m sure that you won’t mind helping Gwaine out with that.”

“Merlin!”

“What?” Merlin looked unrepentant. “I’m sorry, you don’t think that you and Gwaine being together is some big secret do you? Gwaine couldn’t keep his mouth shut when you got together.” Merlin backtracked as he saw the look of alarm on Leon’s face. “And I’ve put my foot in it. I mean, not everybody knows. It’s just Arthur, me, Percival and Elyan. Gwen as well I think. Lance probably knew as well.”

“Oh god.” Leon knew that they hadn’t exactly been subtle but he thought that they’d been more subtle than that.

“Does it really make a difference? We’re all your friends and we’re all really happy for you. Gwaine’s good for you and you’re good for him.”

Leon didn’t really know what to say to that and it was apparent that Merlin understood that because he simply clapped Leon on the shoulder and nodded in Gwaine’s direction. “He should be waking up around now – the draught I gave him was only a mild one. Take him back to your quarters and, you never know, he might actually behave for once.”

Merlin danced away before Leon could say anything in response and, not for the first time, Leon wondered how the hell Merlin got away with saying some of the things that he did without chastisement or any form of punishment. If it had been any other servant within Camelot they would have been in the stocks a hundred times over but Merlin seemed to be above censure. Just proof of how highly regarded he actually was.

                                                                                           (~*~)

True to Merlin’s word, it didn’t take long for Gwaine to come round and helpfully, Percival had turned up so that he could help Leon half-carry a still groggy Gwaine back to the rooms that officially belonged to Leon but that they ostensibly shared.

“You sure you’re going to be okay with him?” Percy spared a glance towards the knight that had been gently dumped on the large bed.

“Yeah, we’ll be fine. I’m probably just going to let him sleep it off. He’s not badly injured and rest is probably the best thing for him.”

“This is Gwaine. He’s not exactly good at resting.”

“Yes, well this time he hasn’t really got much of a choice.” Leon’s words were said with a rather grim tone of voice. He wasn’t stupid; he knew exactly how close he had come to losing his lover.

“Good luck with that,” Percival said with a laugh. “I’ll see you around.”

Leon nodded absent-mindedly as Percival left the room, already pondering how he would be able to get Gwaine to soak in the salts that Merlin had given him. The cream for the bruises already waited on the table next to the bed. He didn’t know what state the castle servants were in, how many they had left and what state the lower levels of the castle were in as he hadn’t focused on that area. Before he could overthink things too much, there was a knock at the door and as he opened it, it revealed several of the lads who assisted with the heavy work in the kitchens and one of the kitchen maids.

“Sir Leon? Merlin asked us to bring up hot water for a bath as well as some food for you and Sir Gwaine.”

Leon couldn’t help but feel touched. Not only by the fact that despite the utter chaos that the castle must be in, they had taken time to come and personally serve two knights but also that Merlin, with everything that he had to do, had taken the effort to make the requests on Leon’s behalf for himself and Gwaine. Stepping back, he opened the door wider to allow the group entrance, directing them to place the food on the table and the buckets of steaming water in the tub, an extravagance that he was incredibly grateful for on a frequent basis, which lay before the fireplace. As the men left to get more hot water, the kitchen maid stayed behind and built up a fire that was soon blazing in the hearth. It probably wasn’t necessary given the time of year but it would be welcome as they lay in the tub. It didn’t take too long before the kitchen hands were back and by the time they had finished emptying their buckets of hot water, the tub was filled to a decent level or rather one that wouldn’t overflow once they were both situated in it.

A long time ago, before he had had anyone to share the tub with, Leon had thought of his purchase as a rather hasty and over-extravagant impulse but now he couldn’t help but be relieved. Retrieving the pouch of salts and herbs that Merlin had given him, Leon emptied it into the bath and savoured the smell that started to emerge from the tub. The strong smell of the herbs seemed to break through the still hazy fog of Gwaine’s mind and he stirred on the bed, eyes opening halfway.

“Wha’s the smell?”

“It’s muscle relaxants that Merlin gave me for you. Think you can make it into the tub?”

“Yeah. You coming in with me?” Gwaine waggled his eyebrows and made Leon laugh briefly but if it was an attempt at seduction it failed miserably when he couldn’t manage to pull his own shirt over his head.

“It looks as though I’m going to have to. Come on, let me give you a hand before you fall over and injure yourself anymore.”

It took longer than it normally would but they were soon ensconced in the tub of steaming water, Gwaine sat in between Leon’s legs with his back resting against the taller knight’s chest. Leon couldn’t help but smile as the hot water seemed to work wonders on the injured knight and all of the tension started to leech out of his body. Slowly, but not so slowly that it would seem that he was trying to arouse Gwaine, Leon simply started to run his hands over Gwaine’s body simply to reassure himself that his lover was fine (or as close as) and alive in his arms. Before too long, Gwaine started to shift in Leon’s embrace causing the water to slosh around within the confines of the tub. As Leon’s hand shifted slightly with Gwaine’s movements, he realised the reason for the movement.

“Seriously? Now? You are completely insatiable.”

“I’m naked with you in the privacy of your rooms. I don’t think that’s insatiable. I think that’s normal behaviour between lovers.”

“You’re injured!”

“Yes, but it’s just bruises and some broken ribs. They’re hardly mortal wounds. Come on, give me some love.”

Leon heaved a sigh as though he was being put upon but he was only human; he knew that he was going to give in to Gwaine. He normally did. Besides, Gwaine’s movements were starting to turn him on as Gwaine kept pressing his arse back against Leon’s cock. He didn’t need to see Gwaine’s face to know that he was grinning but he wasn’t going to start anything until he got some assurances first.

“If I agree and it’s a big if, do you promise that you’re going to let me bind your ribs and then you’re going to get some rest?”

“Rest, seriously? You’re fussing over nothing. I’m absolutely fine. You can stop being a mother hen.”

“You’re not absolutely fine. Elyan told us what you had to do, what Morgana made you do. By all rights you should have been worse off than you are but you always seem to defy convention.”

“Fine! It it’ll shut you up then you can play nursemaid and I’ll rest after. Are you happy now?” The latter was said with more than a hint of sarcasm.

“Ecstatic.” Leon pressed a kiss to the junction of Gwaine’s neck and shoulder. They didn’t normally do the whole talking/feelings thing because they didn’t feel that they had to but Leon needed to say this. “I didn’t know if you were alive or not. We got out to the forest and nobody had seen you then Percival arrived and told us what you’d done.”

“You would have done exactly the same thing and you know it!”

“Yes but that didn’t make it any easier not knowing if you were still alive or not.”

“Yes well, I’m sorry that you had to worry but I’m not sorry I did it.”

“I can live with that.” As soon as he’d spoken, Leon used two fingers to tilt Gwaine’s face so that he could steal a kiss, the first since before this whole nightmare had started.

What had started out as a relatively chaste brush of lips, intended to reassure both men, swiftly became anything but. Gwaine started to squirm about, trying to turn around so that he could straddle Leon’s lap, a position that had swiftly become one of his favourites but his attempts were halted by Leon’s forearm clamping around him with a vice-like grip.#

“No moving. We stay like this or we don’t do anything at all.”

“If that’s the case then you’ll be hurting both of us but I’m getting a crick in my neck like this.”

“Well we can’t be having any of that can we. Why don’t I see what I can do to make it better?”

As he spoke, Leon’s hand slid over Gwaine’s thigh to take his cock in hand, the other man’s head falling back onto his shoulder as he did so. Leon started to stroke Gwaine’s cock, pressing kisses and teasing nips over the parts of Gwaine’s neck and shoulder that he could reach, relishing the fact that he had his lover in his arms again. His actions meant that Gwaine was incapable of keeping still, writhing and wriggling as much as he could, so Leon had to resort throwing a leg over the other man’s in an attempt to keep him as still as possible. Even that failed to work, although Leon wasn’t really complaining as Gwaine’s movements provided friction between his arse and Leon’s cock so that when Gwaine tensed and came with a shout, spilling himself over Leon’s hand, Leon found his own release as he stifled his moan against Gwaine’s shoulder.

They lay in the water until it could no longer even be considered to be warm and then Leon had to help a boneless Gwaine out of the tub before helping him dry off and pull on some sleeping trousers as well as drying off and dressing himself. Then came the part that was even more fun or not; treating Gwaine’s injuries. None of the knights were good patients, why would they be when they didn’t exactly have the best role model in Arthur, but Gwaine was the worst of them all. While for the most part, Arthur was a notable exception, they would actually admit to their injuries or at least to most of them, Gwaine wouldn’t even admit to his, preferring to just ignore them. Still, this time at least, it appeared that luck was on Leon’s side as Gwaine seemed to be so exhausted that he didn’t put up any protest. He was too tired for food even. He simply lay there as Leon smoothed the cream that Merlin had provided him with over all of the bruises before expertly binding the broken ribs.

It was obvious just how exhausted Gwaine was and a testament to how he had been forcing himself to keep going when Gwaine didn’t complain at having the covers tugged over him while Leon ate and got ready for bed himself. It was probably the first time that they had slept in the same bed that they hadn’t actually had sex. Instead, there was simply some tentative movements and a fair few moans and groans as Gwaine tried to find a comfortable position so that he could actually try and get some sleep. After a few lazy kisses, Leon breathed a sigh of relief as Gwaine’s breathing evened out and he seemed to have gone to sleep. Leon stayed awake for a bit longer thinking that he had only just dealt with the first battle; tomorrow they would start rebuilding the damage that Helios’ army had caused Camelot and Gwaine would be on restricted duties, if he was allowed to work at all. It was going to be hell until Gwaine was cleared to be back to full duties.

                                                                                         (~*~)

“Long live the Queen!”

Undercover of the shouts echoing around them Gwaine leant in and spoke softly so that they couldn’t be detected when they were supposed to be cheering the coronation of their new queen.

“You know you can stop fussing over me now, I’m pretty much healed.”

“You’re only saying that because you’re having withdrawal symptoms from sex. You know that your ribs aren’t completely healed yet.”

“Why Sir Leon, I’m shocked … you just mentioned sex in the great hall during the queen’s coronation. Is that the kind of behaviour that would be expected of Arthur’s second?”

“Bloody hell Gwaine. It’s all your fault. If we weren’t in public right now….”

Leon kept staring straight ahead, not needing to look at his lover to know that a smirk was currently gracing Gwaine’s face. Just in front of him, he could see Percival’s shoulders shaking slightly with laughter; their conversation obviously hadn’t gone completely unheard.

“Why Sir Leon, I do believe I’ve corrupted you. Besides, I saw Gaius this morning and he cleared me for more … vigorous activities. Apparently my ribs are healed enough. So for tonight I was thinking …”

Gwaine took pity on Leon and whispered the rest in his ear but as Arthur took his queen by the hand and left the room, his attention was caught by the sight of his blushing and choking second stood next to a rather smug Sir Gwaine.


End file.
